1.
Columbia Amusement Company
–
The burlesque companies would travel in succession round a wheel of theaters, ensuring steady employment for performers and a steady supply of new shows for the participating theaters. For much of its history the Columbia Wheel advertised relatively clean variety shows featuring pretty girls, eventually the wheel was forced out of business due to competition from cinemas and from the cruder stock burlesque companies. The Theatrical Syndicate was formed in 1896 by the managers or booking agents Charles Frohman, Al Hayman, A. L. Erlanger, Marc Klaw, Samuel F. Nirdlinger. The syndicate soon dominated legitimate theater, deciding what would be shown, the Vaudeville Managers Association was founded soon after, with similar goals, and the United Booking Office was founded to provide a single place where performers could seek engagements. In 1898 the burlesque producers and theater managers attempted to organize in a way with the Travelling Variety Managers Association. The idea was that shows would progress from one theater to another in succession. The vaudeville and burlesque producer Gus Hill claimed credit for the concept, the theaters would not have to compete for shows, and the burlesque companies would have guaranteed work. The TVMA soon split into two wheels, one in the west and the other in the east, sixteen managers and producers incorporated the Columbia Amusement Company on 12 July 1902. They had left the TVMA to set up a stable operation. The lead was taken by Sam A. Scribner, other principals were William S. Campbell, William S. Drew, Gus Hill, John Herbert Mack, Harry Morris, L. Lawrence Weber and A. H. Woodhill. The circuit had headquarter in New York and included the cities east of the Missouri and north of the Ohio such as Philadelphia. It included Montreal and Toronto in Canada, and Boston in the east, since the theaters were in the east, the Columbia Wheel was also called the Eastern Wheel. Another circuit was formed in the west, called the Empire Circuit or Western Wheel, the Columbia organizers at first aimed to provide affordable shows that were acceptable to women and men. They advertised clean or refined burlesque and they included lines of chorus girls and slightly risqué comedians, but did not go so far as to give offense. The Columbia Wheels refined burlesque shows had multi-act vaudeville-style programs that included farces, comedians, skits, in August 1905 Will Rogers signed up with Scribner for five one-week shows in Brooklyn, New York, Buffalo, Cleveland and Pittsburg. Although the wheel made the industry more stable, the shows became standardized. New costumes and acts were expensive, and when performers became better known they often left for legitimate theater, performers who started in burlesque included Weber & Fields, Bert Lahr, W. C. Fields, Red Skelton, Sophie Tucker and Fanny Brice, all of them moved into musical comedy or vaudeville as soon as they could

2.
The Broadway League
–
Founded in 1930 primarily to counter ticket speculation and scalping, the Broadway League has expanded its mission and programs over time. The Broadway League has more than 700 members representing the Broadway theatre industry in New York, the League was founded in 1930 as the League of New York Theatres and Producers. It was founded by Broadway theatre operators to further common interests, with the purpose of fighting ticket speculation. In the following years the League expanded its charter several times, in 1938, the League became the official collective bargaining unit representing the theatre owners and producers on Broadway to negotiate labor agreements with unions such as Actors Equity. With the decline of Broadway in the 1980s the League changed its name to the League of American Theatres and Producers, on December 18,2007 the League changed its name to the current name, The Broadway League. The Broadway League also works with the Dramatists Guild of America, a composed of playwrights, composers. Disney Theatrical Group, which owns the New Amsterdam Theatre, also negotiates labor agreements independently, the most recent strike on Broadway occurred in November 2007, when the Broadway League and the stagehands union, Local One of IATSE, failed to come to agreement after months of negotiation. Local One was joined by other Broadway unions such as AEA and SDC and this marked the first strike on Broadway in Local One’s 120-year history, and the strike lasted for 19 days, recording the longest strike on Broadway since 1975. The economic impact of the strike spread beyond the Broadway shows, to restaurants, hotels, gift shops. According to the New York City comptroller’s office, the resulted in $2 million in lost revenue per day in addition to the lost ticket sales. The main conflict in the negotiation was the rules regarding load-ins. However, because the workload differs everyday, many stagehands often just stayed in the theatres with nothing to do, the new contract set the daily minimum during the load-in to 17 stagehands, allowing the producers to hire stagehands based on daily workload. The Local 802 of AFM, the representing the musicians on Broadway, entered into a strike in March 2003 and was joined by other Broadway unions such as AEA. The strike lasted from Friday, March 7,2003, to early Tuesday morning, the focus of the negotiation was the minimum number of musicians required to be employed in Broadway theatres. The labor agreement required 24 to 25 musicians to be employed in largest theatres, under the new agreement, the minimums were reduced to 18 to 19. As a result of lobbying initiatives by the Broadway League, in February 2015, Sen. Charles Schumer and Sen. Under Section 181 of the tax code, U. S. -based film and TV productions are able to immediately expense up to $15 million, the Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Awards, recognize achievement in live American theatre. The Tony Awards are presented by the Tony Award Productions, a joint venture of American Theatre Wing, the awards were founded by the Wing in 1947, and the League started co-presenting them in 1967

3.
On the Boards
–
On the Boards is a non-profit contemporary performing arts organization in Seattle, Washington, founded in 1978. Originally located at Washington Hall in the Central District, the organization moved in 1998 to their current location in Lower Queen Anne and they present more than 40 distinct shows annually, amounting to over 100 performance nights each year in 2 theater spaces. On the Boards began its existence renting the theater space at Washington Hall from the Sons of Haiti. Washington Hall is a 1908 building whose history prior to OtB included appearances by W. E. B, du Bois and Martin Luther King Jr. and performances by the likes of Count Basie and Mahalia Jackson. As of 2008, the building is in shape and quite likely facing demolition. In 1998, OtB moved to its current location, built in 1912, the building was originally known as Redding Hall, then later as Queen Anne Hall. It had been the home of A Contemporary Theater, who were moving to a downtown home at Kreielsheimer Place / Eagles Auditorium. OtB had the space remodeled into the 300-seat Merrill Wright Mainstage Theater, the building is now known as On The Boards/Behnke Center for Contemporary Performance. As of 2008, OtBs performances are divided into several program series, besides the artists mentioned above, other national and international performers and acts who have appeared at OtB include Bill T

4.
The Cabiri
–
The Cabiri, a Seattle-based non-profit physical theater troupe, was founded in 1999 by Artistic Director John S. Murphy. In 2001, the troupe became legally incorporated and obtained 501 status from the IRS, since its inception, the troupe has utilized a variety of mediums to present performative mythology, theatrical depictions of tales from folklore and mythology. The Cabiris early work consisted primarily of street theater and performance art including fire dancing, stilt walking, in 2001 the company began incorporating aerial dance on low-flying trapeze, aerial sling, aerial hoop, and other apparatus. Aerial dance has become the primary performance focus of the troupe. In 2006, the organization expanded its activities to include aerial dance instruction for adults, the organizations work has been presented to thousands of audience members throughout North America in the last decade and has been featured in a variety of media and arts-related publications. The Genesis of Ereshkigal, utilizing puppetry, physical theatre, and fire performance, the Kojiki of Amaterasu, one of the final performances on the stage at the old Seattle Opera House, the story of Japanese solar goddess Amaterasu. Vasalisa the Beautiful, a tale from Russian folklore, in which Baba Yaga, dance of the Calusari, in collaboration with Radost Folk Ensemble, explored Romanian folklore and the Calusari folk dancers. The Ghost Game, survey of folklore and mythology regarding ghosts, premise inspired by Hyaku Monogatari, garden of Dreams, nine tales depicting folklore and mythology of plants from a variety of cultures. Gods of the Night, seven Mesopotamian planetary gods and Inannas epic descent to the Underworld and encounter with Ereshkigal, the Ghost Game, Tales of 13 Witches, nine performances exploring the witch archetype in folklore and mythology. The Ghost Game, Dead Gods, six vignettes depicting deaths of deities from folklore, carpathian Dawn, a full length production drawing tales from Slavic mythology including the bathhouse spirit Bannik, house spirits Domovoi, and primary god Svarog. The Ghost Game, Devil In the Deep Blue Sea, seven vignettes exploring tales from bodies of water, including the Slavic Rusalka, the Scottish Each uisge, Japanese Kappa, Ondine, and Egyptian Apep. The Ghost Game, Winternacht, vignettes exploring tales of winter, including the Slavic Marzanna, the Himalayan Yeti, Algonquian Wendigo, and Russian Father Frost, in April 2012, the organization published its first book Tarhun, Legend of the Lightning God

5.
Gallimaufry Performing Arts
–
Gallimaufry Performing Arts is a theater and dance company founded in 2004 in Laguna Beach, California by Steve Josephson, the current Executive Artistic Director. Gallimaufry was founded in 2004 by Steve Josephson, since its inception, the company has produced 13 fully staged musicals,5 plays,11 dance events,14 musical concerts and many other special events. In April 2009, Gallimaufry presented the premiere of a new play called Scared Money. The play was written by Sherwood Kiraly, Sherwood recently wrote the screenplay for the film Diminished Capacity, which starred Matthew Broderick and Alan Alda. His new play is a comedy about six people searching for hidden Santa Anita Pick Six Racetrack ticket worth $714,000, the title derives from an old saying Scared money never wins, meaning that you shouldnt gamble money youre afraid to lose. Dance days consist of free master classes followed by a performance on Lagunas Main Beach. Past master classes have ranged from rhythm tap, modern and hip-hop to Afro-Caribbean, Indian, Gallimaufry & Greene is the brainchild of Executive Artistic Director, Steve Josephson. The new contemporary dance company received its premiere on April 18,2007. The company has performed The Rite to Fall, Angels and A Night at the Movies, in April 2008, Gallimaufry presented Jump Rhythm Jazz Project, the Emmy award winning dance company from Chicago. The group is made up of rhythmically explosive dancer-singer-actors that celebrate jazz and it was founded in 1990 by Billy Siegenfeld, who continues to choreograph for the company and perform as an ensemble member. In October 2008, Gallimaufry brought a dance troupe straight from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to perform on Main Beach, the troupe is called the Not Man Apart Physical Theatre Ensemble, and the show was called Pericles Redux, a reconstruction of Shakespeares romantic odyssey. The show pushed the boundaries between theatre and dance, and was met with reviews, both in Edinburgh and Laguna Beach. Created in 2006, The Ridiculous Medley is a new vocal group that performs for special events, community functions, parties, fundraisers. Under the direction of Meredith Woodson-Hubbard, the Ridiculous Medley has already performed for the CHOC Queen of Hearts Guild fundraiser as well as community events. Gallimaufry was affiliated with the Laguna Beach community choir called Lagunatunes, the choir performs two concerts a year, one during the holiday season and one in early spring. These concerts are performed at the Artists Theatre, Gallimaufry is part of the Laguna Beach Alliance for the Arts. The Generation GAP is a self-producing teen theatre company, the group focuses on learning all aspects of theatre, including producing, directing, performing, designing, managing, project managing and fundraising. Teens ages 12–18 plan, raise money, produce, design, cast, direct and perform in shows, Generation GAPs most recent production was the musical Little Women

6.
The Lambs
–
The Lambs, Inc. is a social club in New York City for actors, songwriters, and others involved in the theater. It is Americas oldest theatrical organization, the Lambs is a registered trademark of The Lambs, Inc. and the club has been commonly referred to as The Lambs Club and The Lambs Theater since 1874. In 1868, The Lambs was founded in London by actors, led by John Hare, several of those, most notably Henry James Montague, came to the United States and formed The Lambs of New York during Christmas week of 1874. It was incorporated in 1877 in New York City, shortly afterward, the London Lambs closed. The clubs name honors the essayist Charles Lamb and his sister Mary, in 1924 they celebrated their golden jubilee at the Earl Carroll Theatre. The Lambs, the New York Friars Club, and The Players in New York are often confused, the president of The Lambs is called The Shepherd. The Club displays the portraits of all its presidents, painted by such as James Montgomery Flagg. In 1905 at 128–130 West 44th Street, in a designed by Stanford White. Until 1974 the Club remained at the building at 128 West 44th Street, the building was designed by architect Stanford White, and was erected in 1904–1905, the expanded in 1915 to include 132 West 44th Street. The church leased part of the building for what would become the Off Broadway Lambs Theatre which is not related to the Club except for the name of the building. The building was designated a New York City Landmark in September 1974, in 2006 the Church of the Nazarene sold the building and theatre, which has been renovated by the Chatwal Hotel. They operate a restaurant in the hotel and named it The Lambs Club although there is no relation between the hotel and The Lambs other than what was left of the building. The Lambs, Inc. is still active in its quarters at 3 West 51st Street adjacent to Rockefeller Center. Its members have been instrumental in the formation of ASCAP, Actors Equity and The Actors Fund of America, of the first 21 Council members of Actors Equity,20 were members of The Lambs. Historically, The Lambs has been the ground of plays. Mark Twain Tonight and Stalag 17 were first performed at The Lambs prior to their national successes, alan J. Lerner and Frederick Loewe first met at The Lambs, often trying works-in-progress on their fellow Lambs. Loewe left a percentage of his share of Brigadoon royalties to The Lambs Foundation, since its founding, there have been more than 6,000 Lambs including Spencer Tracy, Fred Astaire, Irving Berlin, George M. Cohan, W. C. Fields, Will Rogers, John Philip Sousa, Fred Waring and Albert Hague, current members include Joyce Randolph of The Honeymooners, Jim Dale, Matthew Broderick, and the Tony Award-winning conductor/arranger Donald Pippin

7.
Theatre Communications Group
–
Theatre Communications Group is a non-profit service organization dedicated to nurturing, strengthening and promoting professional non-profit theatre in the United States. As of 2014, TCG has over 700 member theatres located in 47 states,172,000 individual members, TCG is currently headquartered at 520 Eighth Avenue in mid-town Manhattan. TCG offers training, networking and research opportunities to its members, including their annual Fiscal Survey and the resulting publication, in addition, TCG awards over $2 million in grants each year to nonprofit theatres and individual theatre artists through philanthropic partnerships, including the MetLife/TCG A-ha. TCG was awarded Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre in 2005, though initially run as a Ford Foundation administered program, TCG independently incorporated in 1964. The organization began with a membership of 15 regional and community theatres, in its first decade of operation, other leaders included Michael Mabry, Joseph Zeigler and Hartney Arthur. In 1972, Peter Zeisler was named Executive Director, a position he would hold for 23 years, under Zeisler’s leadership, TCG created many of its longest-running programs, including annual National Conference, American Theatre Magazine and TCG Books. After Zeisler retired in 1995, the organization was led, respectively, by John Sullivan, Ben Cameron, under the leadership of Cameron and Channick, TCG was named the United States Center for the International Theater Institute in 1999 and Tony Honors for Excellence in 2005. Teresa Eyring began her tenure as Executive Director of the organization in 2007, Theatre Communications Group offers three forms of membership, theatre, individual, and affiliate. Paid professional leadership Artist payroll of at least 15 weeks or 50 performances Minimum cumulative rehearsal time of 30 hours per individual production, one year of continuous operation as a distinct organization. Actor compensation of Actors’ Equity minimum or at least 20% of the total operating budget. Individual membership to Theatre Communications Group is open to all interested parties, Theatre Communications Group’s member networking activities are primarily conducted in the form of annual events. The largest of these events are the Fall Forum on Governance, the Fall Forum on Governance is held in New York City and is programmed around a different central theme each year. Past themes have included “Investing in Vitality, ” “Leading the Charge, ”, recent TCG National Conferences have included “Learn to Teach” in Dallas, TX, ), “Model the Movement” in Boston, MA, and “TCG at 50, What If…” in Los Angeles, CA. Founded in 1984, TCG Books is considered the largest independent publisher of dramatic literature in North America, TCG also serves as the exclusive U. S. Segal Theatre Center Publications and Playscripts, and London publishers Nick Hern Books, Aurora Metro Publications and Oberon Books. American Theatre Magazine is published 10 times a year and distributed to TCG members free of charge, ARTSEARCH is published digitally and released on a quarterly basis. List of Theatre Communications Group member theatres Regional theater in the United States List of LORT Member Theatres Baker, the Impact of Race, Theatre & Culture. The Founding of Theater Arts Philanthropy in America, W. McNeil Lowry, angels in the American Theatre, Patrons, Patronage & Philanthropy. How to Run a Theatre, Creating, Leading and Managing Professional Theatre

8.
Actors' Equity Association
–
However, performers appearing on live stage productions without a book or through-storyline may be represented by the American Guild of Variety Artists. As of 2010, Equity represented over 49,000 theatre artists, actor’s Equity Association is currently under the direction of President Kate Shindle. AEA represents more than 50,000 actors and stage managers nationwide, the AEA works to negotiate and provide performers and stage managers quality living conditions, livable wages, and benefits. In order to become a member of Equity, the performer must generate a number of Equity Membership Candidacy Points and they do this by securing a position at an Equity theatre and then registering as a candidate for Equity. Performers are required to maintain a minimum of 50 weeks of EMC work along with an initial payment in order to become an official Equity member. A person may become a member of Equity if they have been offered a position under an AEA contract. Leading up to the Actors and Producers strike of 1929, Hollywood, Hollywood was producing what was considered the 3 most important IWA/WIR films in the post-Kruse era. The films The Passaic Textile Strike, The Miners’ Strike and The Gastonia Textile Strike, gave audience and producers insight into the effect and accomplishments of labor unions and these films were set apart by being current documentaries and not melodramas produced for glamour. In 1896 the first Actors Union Charter was recognized by the American Federation of Labor as an attempt to create a minimum wage for actors being exploited and it wasnt until January 13,1913 that the Union Charter failed. It later re-emerged as the Actors Equity Association with more than 111 actors with Frances Wilson as its board president. A bronze plaque commemorates the room in which The Players met to establish Actors Equity, members included Frank Gillmore, who from 1918 to 1929 was the Executive Secretary of Actors Equity and its eventual President, a position he held from 1929 to 1937. Actors Equity joined the American Federation of Labor in 1919, the strike ended the dominance of the Producing Managers Association, including theater owners and producers like Abe Erlanger and his partner, Mark Klaw. The strike increased membership from under 3,000 to approximately 14,000, the Chorus Equity Association, which merged with Actors Equity in 1955, was founded during the strike. Equity represented directors and choreographers until 1959, when they broke away, the Actors Equality Strike was a series of walkouts that started in 1927, which started out in smaller local theaters in Los Angeles but quickly grew to the Motion Picture stage. The theater strikes combined with freelance contracts fueled the need for actors and stagehands to strike for better working conditions and pay. On July 20,1929, the Actors Equality would gain its first victory and this would also give all power and representation to one organization in order to create a more organized equality strike. Starting June 5,1929, Frank Gillmore flew and attended meetings in New York with the Heads of Broadway. After the meeting Mr. Anyone else who is involved in the production of pictures was also encouraged to attend

9.
American Theatre Wing
–
The American Theatre Wing, the Wing for short, is a New York City-based organization dedicated to supporting excellence and education in theatre, according to its mission statement. Originally known as the Stage Womens War Relief during World War I, the ATW created and sponsors the Tony Awards in theatrical arts. All were active in Broadway theater as patrons, actors, or both and these seven, when they formed the said organization, initially called it The Stage Womens War Relief. In total, the group raised nearly $7,000,000 for the war effort, with the entry of the United States into the war, the Wing established The Stage Door Canteen to entertain American servicemen. After the war ended, the Wing founded The Community Players to assist war veterans, the Community Players was co-chaired by Katharine Cornell, who was active on the Stage Door Canteen. With the close of the war, the Wing concentrated on holding seminars about American theater, the initial presentation of the Wings Tony Awards program on radio and television was broadcast only locally in New York City. In 1967, it partnered with the League of American Theatres and Producers, now called The Broadway League, from 1965 to 1998, Isabelle Stevenson was the President of the ATW. After retiring, she served as chairwoman of the board of directors until her death in 2003, a special non-competitive Tony Award, for humanitarian or charitable work, is named in her honor, and is called The Isabelle Stevenson Award. It is the Tonyss answer to the Academy Awardss Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, Stevenson was succeeded as chair person by Sondra Gilman and Doug Leeds who served as chairperson and president respectively from 2004-2008, when their 4-year term was completed. They were succeed by Theodore S. Chapin, the current chairman of the board is Tony Award-winning costume designer William Ivy Long. Angela Lansbury currently serves as chairman and Heather A. Hitchens is President

10.
International Thespian Society
–
The International Thespian Society is an honor society for high school theatre students. It is a division of the Educational Theatre Association, there is also a Jr. International Thespian Society for middle school students in grades 6-8. A few famous ITS alumni include Tom Hanks, Val Kilmer, James Marsters, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Festivals are held annually at the district, state and national levels. Each June the International Thespian Festival is held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, membership currently stands at approximately 100,000 student members across 3,900 schools. The one millionth thespian was inducted in 1976 and the two millionth thespian was inducted in 2009, the International Thespian Society was founded in 1929 in Fairmont, West Virginia. Originally named National Thespians, the society was founded by Dr. Paul Opp, Earnest Bavely, National Thespians was an honorary organization for high school theater students who earned membership through participation in their schools theatre programs. The organization consisted of troupes, each linked to a school, the first troupe was formed by Dr. Earl Blank at Natrona County High School in Casper, Wyoming. At the end of the 1928-1929 school year there were 71 troupes across 26 states, in October,1929, the first issue of The High School Thespian, ”official organ of National Thespians” was published. The National Thespian headquarters was moved to Cincinnati during the year 1935 and that same year, the society was renamed The National Thespian Dramatic Honor Society. The society held its first National High School Drama Conference and Play Production Festival in 1941 at Indiana University, the High School Thespian became Dramatics in 1944. In October 1945, The National Thespian Dramatic Honor Society was again renamed the National Thespian Society, in 1969 the organizations name was changed to the title it still holds today, The International Thespian Society. June of 1982 marked a change for the National High School Drama Conference and Play Production Festival, turning it into the Thespian Festival. The Thespian Festival also began a schedule for the first time. The Theatre Education Association was eventually absorbed completely into the EdTA,1990 marks the birth of the Junior Thespians branch of ITS, extending the reach of the society to middle school theatre students. The EdTA helped to write the section of the National Standards for Arts Education. By 2012, International Thespian Society had formed a bond with the charity organization Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Chapters are created in order to support the mission of the International Thespian Society and they are led by a chapter director who is supported and assisted by a chapter board. Points can be earned from participation in productions, Thespian Festivals, seeing other theatres productions, induction ceremonies vary from troupe to troupe, but most are run by the troupes officers and director